By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
ALGAL blooms have sunk the peak-season plans of competition rowers, slalom skiers and waterskiers at the National Water Sports Centre in Bangholme.
Parks Victoria closed the National Water Sports Centre to recreational users last Thursday due to a “very high reading” for blue-green algae in the centre’s water.
Melbourne Water is monitoring the water quality weekly, but the toxic infestation is not expected to clear until heavy rains fall.
Melbourne Water regional manager Rod Clifford said it may take a matter of weeks.
National Water Sports Centre Ski Club members’ training preparations for next month’s Moomba competition are in disarray.
President Rob Evans said the closure had wiped out his club’s 200-plus water skiers at the height of their season. The closest freshwater training venues are more than 100 kilometres away.
One member, Nicholas Adams, the world No. 7-ranked men’s waterskier, has diverted his Moomba training preparations to the Murray River for the next two weeks.
“We just accept it,” Evans said. “It’s happened before several years ago and it’s something we’ve come to expect.”
Carrum Rowing Club’s annual regatta for more than 1000 Melbourne schoolgirls was cancelled as a result of the health risk.
The club’s captain and secretary Lynne Charge said members training for state championships had to look at far-flung venues such as Ballarat.
Some were cramming in practice at a “not really good course” in the Yarra River, Hawthorn.
“There’s nowhere really else to go,” Charge said.
“The National Water Sports Centre is the only straight two-kilometre course in the state. It’s where the Victorian Institute of Sport and the Australian men’s crew train.”
Other centre users affected include anglers, kayakers, model yachters and canoeists.
Mr Clifford said blue-green algae was naturally occurring, especially thriving in warmer weather.
“The Patterson River catchment is heavily urbanised and so the waters are rich with nutrients and currently flowing very slowly due to low rainfall,” he said. “It will pass with time, especially if we get some good rainfall to increase flows through the centre.”
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